Walk-in shower or cubicle? Pros and cons laid out

Ten years ago the walk-in shower was a premium segment. Today we install one in four renovations out of five. That does not mean it is always the right call. Here is when a regular cubicle is actually the smarter pick.

Walk-in shower advantages

• Maximum sense of space — no threshold, no profile, the bathroom optically gains size.
• Long-term accessibility — wheelchair or walker, a step-free shower is gold.
• Cleaner look over time — no rubber seals to scale up, no aluminium profiles to corrode.
• Higher resale value — estate agents consistently report a €3,000 – €5,000 uplift.

Downsides nobody talks about

What we rarely hear at handover but always a year later: splashing. A walk-in without a glass screen lets the whole ceiling and bathroom furniture get wet. A glass panel is almost always needed — which kills part of that "open" feeling.

• Requires a slope in the screed (1.5 cm/m) → less suited to renovations on an existing floor.
• A solid drain is critical — a cheap 60 cm linear gutter clogs faster than a point drain.
• Underfloor heating + poured floor = €1,500 – €2,500 extra over standard tiling.
• For small bathrooms (< 4 m²): the walk-in often takes more floor area than a corner cubicle.

When a cubicle is the better call

A corner or sliding-door cubicle remains the right choice in three scenarios: a small bathroom (< 4 m²), a renovation keeping the existing floor (waterproofing gets complex), and a full bathroom budget under €12,000. In those cases the cubicle wins on both comfort and price.

On the fence? We measure your bathroom on site and draw both options with dimensions. No sales pitch — we give our honest preference based on what fits your space.